Hendersonville – The Hendersonville Symphony Orchestra (HSO) began its historic 50th season by featuring the recently hired Music Director/Conductor John Young Shik Concklin. On October 8th, the HSO hosted their first Masterworks concert of the year, which featured some of the conductor’s favorites. This inaugural concert featured Symphony No. 39 in E-flat Major by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Symphony No. 2 by Johannes Brahms. The long wait for the HSO is over. Concklin was named Conductor and Music Director in June, after a three-year COVID-delayed search process. He had studied at Vanderbilt University, Yale University, and the Cleveland Institute of Music. Concklin, a Korean who was adopted early on by an American family, grew up in Atlanta and is now living in Greenville. He is an active violist and, together with his wife, Lauren Maxwell, co-founded Mozart for a Cause, an annual benefit concert that highlights chamber music. See previous article about new artistic director for more information.
If you happened to miss that performance, the HSO will be giving a chamber orchestra concert this coming Saturday, October 29th, at the more intimate Bo Thomas Auditorium on the Blue Ridge Community College campus. As a chamber orchestra, there will be fewer musicians—36 instead of the usual 60–70 musicians usually present for a full symphony concert. The soloist is Ellen Breakfield Glick, a talented clarinetist. The program for the evening brings out the humorous sides of Stravinsky, Prokofiev, and Mozart.
Starting the concert is Stravinsky’s cheeky Pulcinella Suite, which revisits music from the baroque period and Sergei Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes. The Pulchinella Suite is in eight movements with two flutes, two oboes, two bassoons, two horns, a trumpet, trombone, and strings. In the staged ballet, Stravinsky reinvented the music with movement, lively characters, and even singing roles. Prokofiev’s Classical Symphony is a musical tease that evokes Haydn’s mischief. Guest artist Ellen Breakfield-Glick will make her HSO debut performing Mozart’s exquisite Clarinet Concerto. Dr. Breakfield-Glick serves on the faculty at Western Michigan University School of Music as an Assistant Professor of Clarinet since the Fall of 2019. Recognized for her poise and skillful playing, she maintains a versatile career as an educator, orchestral clarinetist, and chamber musician.
Of course, the Hendersonville Symphony Orchestra will celebrate the holidays in traditional style on December 3rd. They will mark the season with many favorites, featuring music from Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker and Strauss’ Fledermaus, Sleigh Ride, many beloved carols, and a few other surprises along the way. Due to the popularity of this holiday event, there will be an additional 3 p.m. matinée performance for this concert on Saturday afternoon.
David Southorn, Concertmaster of the Delaware and New Haven Symphonies, will join the HSO on March 18, 2023. He will perform Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto in E minor, a well-known and well-loved concerto. This concert will also feature Elgar’s Enigma Variations, a piece Elgar wrote for his closest friends in which he set each person to music.
Educational Programs for Youth
The Hendersonville Symphony has many student programs, including a student Youth Orchestra for accomplished students at the high school level and up to the age of 21, as well as a Youth Chorus for children ages 6–15. A concert featuring both will be held on December 4th at 2:00 pm in the conference center at Blue Ridge Community College. In March, the 2023 Young Artist Competition will be held. This is open to musicians in grades 9–12 who live in the area or are members in good standing of the Hendersonville Symphony Youth Orchestra. Applications are now being accepted. Three cash prizes are awarded: first place, $1,000.00; second place, $600.00; and third place, $400.00. The first-place winner will perform as a soloist with the HSO at its May 6th Masterworks concert, “Great American Road Trip.” The competition is sponsored by Edward Jones, office of Matt Aldrich, as well as Norris and Cricket Crigler.
“This is a wonderful opportunity for a young musician to experience the thrill of competition and showcase his or her talent,” said Paul Conroy, HSO Executive Director. “It is an incredible learning experience for the winner to perform with a professional orchestra.” Competiton rules and an online application can be found at www.hendersonvillesymphony.org/young-artist-competition. The application fee is $40.00. All applications must be postmarked or submitted online by February 15, 2023.
Additional Concerts
On April 15, 2023, the second chamber orchestra concert will feature all strings. Highlighting Concertmaster Mary Irwin, the concert will present Bach’s famous Double Concerto alongside Clarice Assad’s Suite for Lower Strings—an homage to Bach. Used in movies over the past half century, the Adagios by Samuel Barber and Tomaso Albinoni fill out the concert, with David Diamond’s energetic “Rounds for Strings” closing the evening.
The final Masterworks concert on May 6, 2023, can be best described as a “Great American Road Trip.” The musical excursion will start and end in New York with music from Bernstein’s West Side Story, make a quick trip to second-city Chicago, and then jaunt into the American West featuring music by Aaron Copland. As a bonus, there will be a quick getaway to the city of love for Gershwin’s classic, American in Paris.
The 50th Season of the Hendersonville Symphony Orchestra, with their new conductor, John Young Shik Concklin, is filled with many exhilarating programs to attend—all with outstanding soloists. There is a preconcert discussion with the conductor and the guest artist held from 6:30-7:00 PM prior to the Masterworks Concerts. Be sure to get your reservations. To purchase tickets, go to www.hendersonvillesyphony.org or call (828) 697-5884. Adult tickets start at $38, with student tickets available for only $12. The programs start at 7:30 PM at the Blue Ridge Community College.